BATMAN: BRAVE & THE BOLD Photos Online

Mania cross-link: In case you missed it, late in the day yesterday we posted ten images from tonight's episode of 'Batman: The Brave & The Bold' featuring a team-up with Plastic Man. Click and Enjoy!

IRON MAN 2 Poster, Trailer and ARG/Viral

Mania cross-link: Early in the day yesterday Marvel and Paramount served up the new 'Iron Man 2' poster featuring Mickey Rourke as Whiplash. Check it out!

That wasn't the only bit of propaganda for the film dispatched by Paramount yesterday. They also rolled out some kind of image possibly meant to launch an alternate reality game (or viral online campaign) to Superhero Hype. The image looks to be a magazine clipping like the ones seen on Whiplash's wall in the new poster. The folks at Par have highlighted the word "Secret" in the image and also added an arrow pointing to...

IRON MAN 2 Secret Clue?

...well, we have no idea really what to make of the image. Given that the Paramount publicists are handing it out and twittering about it, we're supposing it's some kind of viral campaign, not unlike the one seen for 'The Dark Knight'. So far we haven't cracked the "clue" that may or may not be hidden in the image.

Many sites have focused on the names that appear in the image, which are P. Buckner and N. King. However, Newsinfilm.com points out that these are the names of the art department director and coordinator for the film, Page Bucker and Nancy A. King. And the big arrow doesn't really come anywhere near these names. So we're guessing that's not it.

The big 'Iron Man 2' news is that fans will be getting the first look at an official trailer for the film around Christmas day.

IGN reports that they've confirmed the trailer will, in fact, run with 'Sherlock Holmes', thus ensuring they hit Robert Downey Jr's fan base.

What do you think, Maniacs? Do you like the poster? Are you psyched for the trailer? Has the enigmatic image offered up its secrets to you yet? Post your comments below...

Here's THE PHANTOM

Although we've seen glimpses of the 21st Century update of Lee Falk's 'The Phantom' for SyFy Channel we now have the first photo of the character in full costume, check out the image on PhantomSite (the latest in the KryptonSite network).

The TV mini-series stars Ryan Carnes ('Trailer Park of Terror') as the latest in the nearly-broken line of "ghosts who walk". It'll air in 2010 on SyFy.

Two Directors on JONAH HEX Reshoots?

Earlier in the week we told you about some reshoots happening on Warner Bros. 'Jonah Hex' movie.

Now, Bloody Disgusting reveals an interesting, and possibly troubling bit of info about them. According to their "insider", this does not appear to be the typical second-unit stuff that follows principal photography on a film. Director Jimmy Hayward is getting behind the cameras to film the extra footage. Even more strange, director Francis Lawrence ('I Am Legend') will be on hand as a consultant.

'Jonah Hex' is produced by Akiva Goldsman, who seems to have formed a close bond with Lawrence. They've teamed on 'Legend' and 'Constantine', as well as the upcoming 'Sgt. Rock'.

Warriors talks about THOR

C2F has to admit we were very surprised to learn last month that 'Chuck' star Zachary Levi had actually been cast as Fandral in Kenneth Branagh's 'Thor' movie, but had to abandon the role due to his duties on the hit TV series.

TV Guide took a moment to rub some salt in by asking Levi to talks about his disappointment over losing the part.

"Yeah, that was a bummer. There's no way to slice it. I am Chuck Bartowski in a lot of ways, so to be able to not only be up for a really big movie, but to be up for a really big movie that is a part of the Marvel Universe, that Kenneth Branagh is directing, that Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins are in, you dream about stuff like that," Levi said. "It sucked having to let that go, but again, that stuff is out of your hands. I believe that, based on what's happened, this is where God wants me so you let that go. I wish them nothing but the best. I'm sure Stuart Townsend will do a good job."

But Levi does have his eye on another superhero.

"Hopefully Marvel feels bad and are like, 'You should be Captain America!' or Bucky at the very least," he joked. "It definitely was tough to let that go."

An actor who actually is playing one of the warrior roles is Ray Stevenson (a.k.a. The Punisher in 'Punisher War Zone' and 'The Super Hero Squad Show'). Strangely the brawny and intense actor is cast as the rotund comic relief character Volstagg.

He goes on to describe a character saying, "He's got every bit of that Falstaffian verve and vigour, and a bit of a beergut to suggest that enormous appetite, but he's not the sort of Weeble-shaped figure he is in the comics. He's Falstaff with muscles. I've got this amazing foam- injected undersuit that flexes with me. I can't wait!"

'Thor' goes before cameras early next year.

Bryce Howard not in SPIDER-MAN 4

ComingSoon.net got a chance to chat up actress Bryce Dallas Howard. She's out promoting her new movie 'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond', but CS dropped in a few questions about sequels for 'Terminator' and 'Twilight', not to mention 'Spider-Man 4'.

Howard played Gwen Stacy in the previous installment of the film. However, it seems nobody has asked Howard to return for the sequel yet, which begins filming next year.

"I mean, it was really made clear to me when we all did 'Spider-Man 3' that it was entirely possible that a character could come back or a character could not and this could be just a specific plotline to that film because there's so many stories in the comic book series and you want to pack as much in as possible," Howard said. "So it's truly up to [director Sam Raimi], up to, you know, the writers and the people who have done such an amazing job protecting that franchise and choosing the best storylines for audiences and I'm a fan first. I had an incredible time working with them but more than anything what I want is for that franchise to just continue to kick butt and to really appease the really really really loyal fans, so, including myself."

The actress did express some relief that they're actually making the movie. Some saw the third installment as a franchise killer due to the poor critical reaction, but it made butt-loads of money thuse ensuring the series would continue.

SOLOMON KANE - Hall of Mirrors Scene

Check out this new scene from the 'Solomon Kane' movie, directed by Michael J. Bassett and starring James Purefoy as Robert E. Howard's pulp-novel character.

The movie opens in several territories next year, but so far has not secured as U.S. distribution deal.

Producers Re-Up THE FORGOTTEN

Comics writer/publisher Jareth Grealish tells Comics2Film at Mania.com that the filmed adaptation of his indie comic 'the forgotten' (officially titled with lowercase letters) is still in the works. As we reported earlier in the year, producers Don Murphy and Susan Montford of Angryfilms and Claire Polstein and John Wells of John Wells Productions had picked up the option on the property created by Grealish and co-writer Evan Young.

Grealish tells us that the producers have chosen to extend their option and things are advancing.

"A well established screenwriter is now attached to the project. While we're not at liberty to disclose his name, I can assure you the guy has some very impressive credentials," Grealish told us. "The take that he and our producers have on 'the forgotten' is top-notch. Evan and I are very excited about where they are taking it."

The comic is sort of a modern pulp noir crime story with an enigmatic protagonist who has a special ability: he can psychically will anyone to forget they ever encountered him.

Watch Mania.com for more on the film version of 'the forgotten' as it develops.

the forgotten is based on my, albeit uncontrollable ability, I have around girls.

Ray Stevenson in a fat suit ought to be very interesting - glad they went that route isntead of making him not fat at all even if they are giving him a more realsitic sort of fatness. As for Levy - I wonder how his take on the other character would have been. If he ever becomes another Marvel character I think I could see him as the other non-Hank Pym Ant-Man but I'd rather see somebody else really.

Solomon Kane is going to punch all of us in the mouth and make us want Conan to come out even sooner.

Oh, yeah as for a different director filming reshoots or whatever of Jonah Hex that could be explained by a couple of things. Maybe he's filming a dream sequence or flashblacks and they want a different feel them - just like that certain segment - though a different situation - of Sin City was filmed by another director (Tarantino) or that one part of Kill Bill, the cartoon part. Though, I'm not sure if Tarantino directed that part himself or not.

Jonah Hex...still not sold...I mean the fact that Megan Fox is in it kind of makes me trepidous...I can't stand her...at all...

Huzzah to the Warriors Three, I can't wait to see how they look on screen.

Poor critical reception is not ever going to be a franchise killer when the amount of money made is as massive as what Spiser-Man 3 made. I mean I know tons of non-comic fans who loved it. So it was a given the franchise would return. Similarly with Transformers and GI Joe, they were far from critical successes but they rolled in the money...hence further sequels.

Looking at the IM2 image, it seems straightforward to me. The arrow is pointing from a picture of the Iron Man armor to Tony Stark. Maybe the message is that Stark is going to try to make his Iron Man identity a secret - probably by putting Rhodey in the suit.